Pura Vida: palm trees in Costa Rica
October 15, 2017
Palm trees mean tropical vibes and I immediately get the vision of myself lying in a hammock in sunny beach paradise. I was so lucky to see some amazing palm trees in the Bahamas, Hawaii and Egypt. But it was Costa Rica that surprised me. In Costa Rica palm trees are everywhere, not only on the beach, but literally everywhere.
There are around 4000 different types of palms worldwide, all of which fall under the Palmae or Arecaceae family. Most of the palm trees are naturally occurring in a tropical or subtropical climate, but there are also hardy species. The palm tree stays green all year long. In Western art and literature, the palm tree is therefore traditionally a symbol of ‘immortality’ and ‘eternity’. In Roman times the palm leaf was a sign for victory, associated with the godess Nike. Costa Rica has 109 of the 4000 species. Most known are the coconut palm and the date palm. The coconut palm grows in whole Costa Rica, but occurs in 2 distinct varieties, one on the Caribbean side, and the other on the Pacific side.
So when you visit Costa Rica, take some time to relax in a hammock under the palm trees so you can listen to your own soul. But when you listen closely, you will hear more. You will also hear the palm trees advice:
soak up the sun
stand tall and proud
remember your roots
drink plenty of water
and enjoy the view!
